Tempel, Tuss race hangs on provisional ballots

With all precincts now reported in the race for Senate District 14, incumbent Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, appears to be the winner but the final tally when provisional ballots are counted next Tuesday could change that.

Tempel took 4,493 votes in the unofficial count, 139 more than Havre Democrat Paul Tuss’ 4,354.

As many as 140 more ballots will be counted next Tuesday, depending on verfication of their validity.

A provisional ballot is cast when a voter says they are legal to vote but their voting registration cannot be verified, such as if an absentee ballot was sent out but lost o...